Dogs Rn’t Us
12 October 2006After Harvey passed in January we knew that we’d get another dog eventually to keep Alex company. In fact, we got Alex to keep Harvey company so it seemed only natural to pair him up with a new buddy - a new “pack” as it were. No one should spend their days alone. Harvey had Alex, Oliver got Lewis, and I lucked out with Drew. There was a lot less guilt knowing that everyone had someone to keep them company when we were spending long hours at work or away on vacation.
About 2 weeks ago we started negotiations on getting a new dog. It’s not a simple or easy decision by any stretch. Any pet coming into the house will be a bona fide member of the family for the next 10-15 years and with that comes a lot of responsibility. Feeding, health care, and overall well being is just the beginning. There is also the inevitable damage to the house and yard for the first year or two, potty training and the integration of someone new into a three pet household. And finally, we fully expect to have a baby in the next year or two who will need a tremendous amount of attention which will be diverted from the animals we have now.
I was 90/10 against getting another dog. We’ve barely finished repairing the damage Alex did as a puppy and it was a lot of work getting him up to speed these last few years. As selfish as it sounds, I really like the dynamic of the one dog household. No one is competing for attention or getting jealous and it’s less hectic without each dog feeding off the energy of the other.
We had the neighbors Labrador stay the night last Friday and it erased any doubt in my mind about whether or not I wanted a second dog. The answer was a resounding no. It’s not that the neighbor’s dog was a bad dog. On the contrary, she was very sweet and well behaved but the chaos of two dogs was just too much. As much as I would love to give a Alex a playmate it can’t be the only reason to get a second dog. Getting a dog for the wrong reasons isn’t fair to anyone in the long run. Not even Alex.
on October 14th, 2006 at 11:12 am
Good for you. I can tell where you are coming from in the match pairs thing. I have two sons (so they can play together). I have two kittens (so they can play together and each son can have one). I have two beta’s. I would have two lizards except I would have to get two set ups since they are territorial. But really enough is enough. I don’t mind being the only mom in the house. I am the lone wolf mom.